1st Day of School!

This past week was pretty snooze-worth, not much to report. But today..... I start school! I'm such a nerd! I'm all ready and I still have three hours before my class even starts! haha

Today's class is the Film Class: American Animation History!

Although, I have to leave the class about an hour early because I'm only "pre-registered" and I have to get it finalized. So hoping the professor will be okay with that.

That's pretty much it! Until later!
~M

Random Memory and Forgotten Post!

So I forgot to write about my experience at Chiquito's. So in America, as most of you know, when you are near being done with your meal the server usually asks you if you would like a food box. If not that, it is normal to ask the server for a box to take your food home. Well, apparently in England, this is an odd thing to ask in a none-take-away place!

So when I asked the waitress for a box, she looked at me like an alien! "Uhm, I can look in the back for a bag?" I tried not to laugh at this idea and just asked for an extra napkin. So she comes back with like 33 of them! I thought this was SOoOo funny!

Shopping at the Stephens Mall!

I hit the Stephen's mall today... properly named, I'd say! :)

Bought some running shoes, a cardigan, an undershirt, a few bracelets, and a scarf! I was a bit off the budget, but I'm back on track, no worries!

Love the options that I am given by the male sections in stores here... bit more variety compared to American shops. I'm trying not to replace my wardrobe as I would definitively wouldn't be able to bring them home!

Last night we hit the campus club, it was pretty fun! Tonight we're hitting up Sanctuary for karaoke, should be fun!

Officially a Univ of Hull Student today! :)

January 18, 2011

Finally got to register for my classes today! I had to run to like 6 different buildings and run up a gagillion stairs, but I did it! Bright side = I got my exercise for the day!

I will be taking 2 film classes and 1 English course, auditing a psychology class, and helping on 3 Psychology research projects!

Class Schedule:

Monday:              - American Animation History (Film) 3:15-5:05 PM
Tuesday:              - Anatomy of an Auteur (Film) 11:15-2:05 PM
                            - Neuropsychology (Psych) 3:15-5:15 PM
Wednesday          - American Animation History (Film) 11:15-1:05 PM
Thursday              - Anatomy of an Auteur - Seminar (Film) 3:15-4:05 PM
                            - American Animation History - Seminar (Film) 4:15-5:05 PM
Friday                   - Classics of British Children's Literature (English) 1:00-2:00 PM


FYI: Auteur = author in French, which I'm pretty sure is relating this to director's in Film

I'm pretty excited to get started, even though I still have two weeks before school starts haha

Officially Welcome to Hull/England

Tonight is my Welcome to Hull party! Kiri has a bunch of friends to come over to meet all of her friends. I'm quite excited... social interaction! haha Lately, Kiri has been in the library to finish her papers and finals, so I've been lazin' around and watching online television, aka True Blood. It's been nice to laze around but I'm excited to meet some new people.


Also, I went to town today and bought a "quilt cover" for my blanket... basically a sheet for my blanket that was supplied by the apt owner, here. So my room is officially live-in-able!

The New Mission

Got all my grocery shopping done today... it was a bit overwhelming! UK has some of the things grocery-wise that we have in the US and others they don't or it looks different. But all in all I made it through! Only forgetting a few things!

Tomorrow's mission: hit up UofHull to try and get SOMEthing arranged before school starts. I don't fancy (a term I have picked up here in my stay in England haha) waiting until February 1st. Details to come there...

Referencing my last (incomplete) mission, I'm starting to think this eagle-labeled clothing IS American Eagle, but I do not think that there is a store here in the UK. At least, a google search has not pulled it up. So maybe it's a popular online thing here... I don't know. I shall find out soon enough.

Also it is only 7:53 here and I am exhausted.. think it's because it's been a uneventful day with the exception of grocery shopping.. 

New 6-month Home!

January 12, 2011

Officially unpacked and moved into my new apt! I’ll be posting some pictures on here for you to see and on facebook as well. Went to a pub last night with Kiri to meet up with her friends. It was a lot of fun, we stopped and got something called “Doner Kabub” which according to Wikipedia is “a Turkish dish made of lamb meat (mainly) cooked on a vertical spit and sliced off to order” which is a far better description than what the girls gave me last night. It was good! I had that with chips, which as our previous vocabulary lesson has illustrated are fries J I’m headed to the supermarket with kiri here in a bit and then I’ve got to come back and so some laundry.

Also, for those of you keeping track this is only my second night out. I’ve been asked a few times whether i’ve been out everynight and developing a dependence. I’m not. Haha

TTFN,

~M

Fishy... in a chippy way

January 10, 2011

I did it. I tried Fish N’ Chips today…. And I liked it?! I have always hated fish so this is a bit beguiling to me. And chips, for those of you who don’t already know, are not potato chips like lays or etc but are fries. Lessons learned.

Speaking of vocabulary lessons, I’m learning a great deal of new vocabulary words. I’m having to “out” myself as an American everytime I ask what a word means (as if my accent doesn’t give it away).

Today, Kiri and I also went exploring Newcastle to sight see and everything. It has tons of beautiful buildings and very cool, moving bridges! Sadly, I didn't get to see one move... :( 

Also, funnily enough I thought it was going to be blatantly obvious that I was American because of all my American Eagle clothing. But there is some brand here with the same/similar eagle. I am on the hunt to find out whether this is American Eagle Outfitters or something else. Details/results to come!

~M

Travels to England

January 8, 2011

Wewf traveling can be exhausting! Last night in the states went well with my friends Craig and Alex hitting the downtown scene the night before. I figured this could only help me sleep more on the plane and welcomed the exhaustion! My first plane ride went smoothly! I can’t say the same for the second ride or rather getting to the next plane. Because of a delay due to de-icing the plane I arrived to the Chicago airport RIGHT as I was suppose to board my next plane to Manchester! As luck would serve, I happened  to be on the opposite side of the airport. Picture me running with all my bags across the airport… if I was the casual observer it probably would have been pretty funny!

The plane ride itself went alright. Slept for a good amount of the trip. American Airlines kept me well nourished! The movies were “Eat, Pray, Love” and one of the “Shrek” movies. No hang up on the airport in Manchester except for having no clue of what to do or where to go. Eventually I found my way to the train station and they dropped me off at Pickadilly (fairly certain that’s mis-spelled). After asking three different people where “Shudehill Interchange” was and still having no clue. I stopped into a hotel to call a cab sine I am phone-less! (Weird feeling!!!) Not only was I having trouble understanding where I was going but my huge duffle bag broke and I have having to carry all three!

Now I’m waiting at “Shudehill Interchange” awaiting my Megabus to pick me up. I am quite a bit early so I have a good hour and a half to de-stress and wait for my bus! J Then Kiri is picking me up at my stop in Newcastle and I am done traveling for the day. It is SOOO beautiful here! I’m so happy I made it here and get to experience everything!

Until next time!

~M

Hello, England.

Hey all, I have written posts but they are on my laptop! I shall post them when I get to Hull Tuesday! I made it safely and am having a blast! :)

Playing it safe

One more day! Got pretty much everything on the to-do list crossed off...

I've got a few more errands to run tomorrow, but pretty much everything is all set! Had my final finance meeting with Financial Aid today and everything is all set. My bag is also under the weight limits!

Later today I embark on my journey with Alex and Craig to St Louis for the final night out on the town in the states... until I get back! haha

Now for the title of this post... I have decided to play it safe and buy the later ticket for the bus to Newcastle. The new bus will leave at 12:30 giving me a few hour leeway... better safe than sorry, no?

Tomorrow I will try an post after getting through customs and everything... wish me thoughts of luck!! :)

Knock On Wood

So, in order to jynx myself I've decided to make my first blogspot post!

I only have two more days until my trip begins! I have a bit of a challenge awaiting my arrival across the big pond... making my bus! Kiri has been so generous as to open up her home for my first week in England! In order to make it to her family-home in New Castle I have to make the megabus. The challenge: getting through customs and taxi-ing it to the bus station (which is 10 miles away from the airport) in one hour. Can I do it???  Time and a post will tell!

My travel itinerary is:

My first flight leaves from St Louis at 3:54 PM for Chicago which should arrive at approx. 5:14 PM.
My second flight leaves from Chicago at 6:05 PM for Manchester which should arrive at approx. 7:45 AM (England-time).
My bus leaves from Manchester at 8:45 AM and should arrive in Newcastle at approx. 12:30 PM.